Linebacker Ashton Lacaze squares up to make a tackle in Captain Shreve’s 23-20 win over Huntington last season. (Photo: Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times, Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times)
The heart of Captain Shreve’s defense will be asked to do even more for the Gators in his senior season.
Ashton Lacaze made 117 tackles, including 20 for loss, forced seven fumbles, recovered three and blocked two punts to earn All-City honors a year ago. In his final year, the standout on the field and in the classroom wants to make sure he leaves his mark on the program.
“I feel like I’m going to do it all,” Lacaze said. “No matter who’s next to me, I’m not doing less. I’m determined to be the best and do the most.”
He’s hopeful players like junior linebacker Caleb Ester will strengthen the defense, perhaps allowing Lacaze to become more versatile and do more in pass coverage. The 5-foot-10 center of the Shreve defense should remain a stalwart against the run thanks to his impressive combination of speed, strength and athleticism.
Coach Bryant Sepulvado said added maturity should help Lacaze read defenses even better as the main player directing his younger teammates. The group of sophomores and juniors look to Lacaze for leadership, something Sepulvado said the senior provides it well at times.
“We put more on his plate as far as being accountable for everyone else.” Sepulvado said. “Making sure he’s lined up, making sure the call’s correct, making sure the string’s correct.”
Lacaze added he must make sure the defensive backs know their coverages and blitzes are right, a responsibility he gladly accepts. Keeping everyone on the same page will be critical for the Gators to move forward against District 1-5A’s diverse offensive firepower.
Off the field, Lacaze keeps academics as his main priority and scored a 28 on the ACT and an unweighted GPA of 3.5, all of which helped him draw interest from Harvard coaches. Even though the Gators have faced plenty of adversity throughout his career, Lacaze knows the importance of keeping the locker room positive.
“When the heads go down, gotta raise them back up, gotta help everybody else,” Lacaze said. “Instead of just being the man that’s a walk-along man or push and shove, I have to motivate everybody and push them to be their best.”
Like the defense as a whole, Lacaze doesn’t possess great size, which will likely keep him from becoming a top-tier recruit. But he sets the example of how to make up for it with his other physical tools and determination to succeed.
Captain Shreve High School teacher recognized as the nation’s top high school student council adviser
Ms. Martha Goza, student council adviser at Captain Shreve High School in in Shreveport, Louisiana has been named the 2016 Warren E. Shull National High School Adviser of the Year. The award was presented to Ms. Goza during the 2016 National Association of Student Councils National Conference that was held in Portland, Oregon. The annual award is named for Warren E. Shull, the founder of NASC and recognizes high school student council advisers of exemplary character, leadership and commitment to young people and who foster their development as student leaders.
Ms. Goza is a teacher at Captain Shreve and has served the school as student council adviser for more than 30 years. Her leadership and the work of her student council have been recognized at the local, state and national levels. Under Ms. Goza’s guidance, the Captain Shreve High School council has been very successful hosting a wide variety of activities that improve school spirit, support needs in the community, and help develop students as leaders. A prime example is the student council’s “Sock”tober project. Students were asked to bring one pair of socks during the month of October for the homeless children at various shelters in the city. Some brought as many as 5 or 6 pairs of socks. The 100 plus council members benefited from the experience and satisfaction of giving to others. Ms. Goza noted, “many of children who received the socks were overwhelmed that there were teenagers who cared about them.” She annually challenges her council to strive for excellence in their leadership and activities, to “go for the gold”. The members have responded to Ms. Goza by earning the NASC National Gold Council of Excellence award every year since 2008.
Ms. Goza works to cultivate integrity and commitment in her council leaders. She believes that a good leader must set exemplary values for themselves and lead others by those examples. There are three signs hanging in the student council room reflecting that belief: “Stand up for what is right, even if you are standing alone,” “You are who you choose to be,” and “What is popular is not always right; what is right is not always popular.” Her student leaders learn from Ms. Goza that being a committed leader is more than good attendance to council activities. She helps them understand that for leaders, commitment is being committed to their roles and to lead by doing, not directing.
As her expertise grew, Ms. Goza’s success as student council adviser spread from her school to the district and state levels where she has served in numerous roles with the Louisiana Association of Student Councils. She is actively involved with the Louisiana Association of Student Councils and has served LASC in district and state-level positions. Since 1985, Ms. Goza has been a counselor at the state summer workshop and regularly presents at LASC conferences. In 1995 and continuing today, Ms. Goza serves as a District Adviser. The position affords her the rewarding opportunity to work with schools to form their new student councils and help them and others to write effective constitutions.
For her efforts locally and at the state level, Ms. Goza has previously been recognized by LASC as their State Adviser of the Year and inducted her into the LASC Hall of Fame. Her success in the classroom has not gone unnoticed either as Ms. Goza has been honored as the Caddo Parish Teacher of the Year and the Louisiana PTA Educator of Distinction.
Ms. Goza has attended the NASC National Conference since 1984, and regularly share her knowledge and best practices to advisers as a round table presenter. She has also attended LEAD Conferences and hosted one of the Lead events in 2008. Ms. Goza was one of the first NASC advisers trained for the Raising Student Voice & Participation (RSVP) program and continues it at her school. From 2010 to 2012, Ms. Goza served on the NASC Advisory Council representing Region 8.
Ginger Gustavson, principal of Captain Shreve High School considers Ms. Goza “an educator of the highest quality who exhibits exemplary character and leadership”. She lauds Ms. Goza’s commitment to the successful development of leadership qualities in the students and her continuing efforts to bring innovative strategies that build relationships and leadership skills. Of Ms. Goza’s role as an educator, Ms. Gustavson highlights her use of instructional strategies that promote student engagement and participation and models as she teaches. “Ms. Goza translates her lessons into extraordinary teaching and learning in her classroom and builds capacity so that all students are able to realize their potential.
The Captain Shreve Student Council President, Samantha Hilburn reflected on the influence that Ms. Goza had on her growth as a leader saying, “I have worked under Ms. Goza’s wise guidance for the past four years as a member of the student council and she has provided me with countless opportunities to develop my diplomacy skills and opened many doors to a promising future as a servant leader.” Samantha shared that Ms. Goza fosters a supportive environment for students of all backgrounds and abilities to grow through service to others and has built an incredible legacy spanning three decades of leaders who graduate prepared to accomplish great things.
For being a role model and mentor to her students, for encouraging student leaders to reach out and serve others, and for a career-long commitment to student council at the local, state and national levels, NASC congratulates Ms. Martha Goza on being named the 2016 Warren E. Shull National High School Adviser of the Year and wishes her continued success in her efforts to foster and develop leadership through the quality student council program she maintains.
About NASC
The National Association of Student Councils (NASC) provides and promotes professional development and leadership training to student council advisers who, in turn, teach leadership skills to student council members. NASC is dedicated to preparing and empowering student leaders to better serve their schools and communities. For more information, visit www.nasc.us.
About NASSP
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the leading organization of and voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and school leaders from across the United States and 35 countries around the world. The association connects and engages school leaders through advocacy, research, education, and student programs. NASSP advocates on behalf of all school leaders to ensure the success of each student and strengthens school leadership practices through the design and delivery of high-quality professional learning experiences. Reflecting its long-standing commitment to student leadership development, NASSP administers the National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, National Elementary Honor Society, and National Association of Student Councils.
A group of English students at Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport delivered PowerPoint presentations Wednesday after listening to the first season of the hit podcast “Serial.”
Captain Shreve High School students Reagan Escuade’ and Abbie Fertitta present a PowerPoint about how love impacts brain functions as part of a “Serial” podcast listening project.
CREDIT KATE ARCHER KENT / RED RIVER RADIO
The summer reading selection at Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport will not be a book for the first time. Rather, students and teachers will listen to “Serial” episodes that center on the case of Adnan Syed, who was convicted in 2000 for the murder of his former high school girlfriend. English teacher Maureen Barclay introduced the podcast to her 18 seniors as a pilot for the summer.
“My students and I both have enjoyed the entertainment value and I’ve kind of seen my students and I both binging on this podcast kind of like we binge on Netflix,” Barclay said, following the student presentations.
Barclay first learned of a Massachusetts school that did a group listen to the popular podcast that yielded positive feedback for launching classroom discussions and research projects.
“When the students returned to school they had this really rich and engaging experience because they were tackling their content area skills and problem solving skills all through the lens of ‘Serial.’”
Student Samantha Hilburn focused her presentation on the traits of a psychopath and whether Syed exhibited these traits. She says there was a buzz around school about this murder trial.
“I think having the whole school listen to it — freshmen through seniors — will bring everyone together for a common research cause that really will bring excitement back into summer reading,” Hilburn said.
Zach Moreno’s presentation focused on building a case around cell phone records tower pings. He says he would take notes as he listened and dissect the evidence.
“Sometimes when I’m reading words tend to run together and my eyes get tired. I didn’t have the fatigue from this. It was cool. I could just listen for hours on end,” Moreno said.
In the latest twist in the Syed case, a judge is expected to decide in the coming days or weeks whether he will be granted a retrial based on new evidence.
The “Serial” investigation raised doubts over the quality of Syed’s defense team and its apparent failure to call a potential alibi witness to testify.
In 2014, the “Serial” podcast was released and Syed’s case gained international attention.
The best leaders rise up to carry their team when needed, especially on the biggest stage.
Captain Shreve senior Hardy Hall met those standards in spectacular fashion to lift the No. 2 Gators over No. 15 Central Lafourche for a 4-0 win in their playoff opener at Centenary Thursday afternoon. The outstanding midfielder scored one of the best goals of his high school career on a sensational free kick from 35 yards out off the far post, and he added an assist to Luke Lemere off another free kick in the 67th minute. Continue reading →
Captain Shreve High School in partnership with SchoolInfoApp announced today the launch of the Captain Shreve High School app by SchoolInfoApp which is now available for iPhones®, iPads®, Android™, Blackberry™ and Windows™ devices. The Captain Shreve High School app by SchoolInfoApp enables parents, students, alumni, faculty and staff to quickly access all of the who, what, when and where for Captain Shreve High School. Continue reading →
On a chilly Wednesday night at Lee Hedges Stadium, Katherine Booras warmed the hearts of those in attendance for the Captain Shreve-Northwood soccer game.
The 19-year-old senior, a special-needs Gator, scored the “winning” goal in the team’s home finale.
“Soccer is my favorite,” Booras said.
Wearing No. 58, Booras was mobbed by Gator teammates and received a bouquet of flowers.
Following her star performance, Booras was ready for a celebratory drink.
Louisiana’s reigning High School Teacher of the Year and state winner Nichole Vasquez will be the commencement speaker at Northwestern State University’s fall commencement exercises on Friday.
Vasquez, who currently serves as an English and civics teacher at Captain Shreve High School, will be the speaker at both ceremonies taking place at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Northwestern State University’s Prather Coliseum. The morning ceremony will honor graduates from the Louisiana Scholars’ College, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development. Graduates from the College of Nursing and School of Allied Health and the College of Business and Technology will be recognized at the afternoon ceremony. Continue reading →
By Shayne Wright
SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) – Nice guys don’t always finish first but Captain Shreve senior basketball player Christopher Wilkerson doesn’t mind that.
He says what matters to him is how you treat people, so at the end of the day, he says, finishing first is about putting others before yourself.
“I don’t know. I’ve just been, you know, kind of humble. I don’t really worry about stuff like this,” said Chris.
Chris isn’t used to the cameras or the attention. He just wants to play basketball.
Gators’ head coach, Todd Martinez, said, “I wonder if he’s going to say five words when you actually talk to him. He doesn’t expect nor go to the light but he leads others there.” Continue reading →
Toronco Loston of Capt Shreve shoots past Plain Dealing’s Tyjuan Thomas for a layup. DOUGLAS COLLIER/THE TIMES
Captain Shreve believes complacency ruined its season a year ago after an impressive run to take the title at the prestigious Bossier High School Invitational.
That’s why Gators coach Todd Martinez and his players don’t want to celebrate too much after an unbeaten start that includes wins over Huntington and Bossier. But it’s already clear this team has what it needs to compete with anyone so long as it stays on the right track.
“(We have) a lot of ability and a lot of different pieces to use and it’s just a matter of finding how the pieces best fit,” Martinez said. “I’m real pleased with the start but I’m partially optimistic about not being satisfied winning four games because the season’s 30 games long. If you’re satisfied winning four you’re in trouble.”Continue reading →
Captain Shreve High School in partnership with SchoolInfoApp announced today the launch of the Captain Shreve High School app by SchoolInfoApp which is now available for iPhones®, iPads®, Android™, Blackberry™ and Windows™ devices. The Captain Shreve High School app by SchoolInfoApp enables parents, students, alumni, faculty and staff to quickly access all of the who, what, when and where for Captain Shreve High School. 
On a chilly Wednesday night at Lee Hedges Stadium, Katherine Booras warmed the hearts of those in attendance for the Captain Shreve-Northwood soccer game.
Louisiana’s reigning High School Teacher of the Year and state winner Nichole Vasquez will be the commencement speaker at Northwestern State University’s fall commencement exercises on Friday.
All-District 1-5A football teams were announced today. Six Captain Shreve Gators were honored. 